Head to the hills for comedy festival

THE hills of Saddleworth will be alive with the sound of laughter when the inaugural Comedy Weekend kicks off.

Organiser Rob Riley, who organises Greenfield’s regular Off The Rails Comedy Club, said: “Earlier this year I helped with a comedy weekend in Lancaster and thought if it’s good enough for Lancaster, then why not Saddleworth?

“We’re starting small — just two shows, back to back; but as always we are going for quality. Next year we want to include kids and sketch shows, a touring show and maybe a comedy play.

“Hopefully within a couple of years we could include other venues, declare ourselves to be a fully-fledged comedy festival and the local economy will benefit.”

The festival starts on Saturday with TV comic Joe Lycett, Geordie comedian Gavin Webster and Andrew Watts, who received rave reviews at this year’s Edinburgh Festival. It continues on Sunday with Tom Binns — the voice behind incompetent hospital radio DJ Ivan Brackenbury and spoof spirit medium Ian D Montfort.

Tickets are £10 (advance) or £12 on the door at the Royal George in Greenfield. Visit www.saddleworthcomedy.co.uk for details.